Top 5 Washington Redskins Who Must Improve in 2013-14

The Washington Redskins' 2012 season was one that fans will remember forever.  The emergence of Robert Griffin III and the seven-game win streak to capture the NFC East title for the first time since 1999 made 2012 one for the ages.  

Looking forward to 2013-14, we examine the players who must improve for the Redskins to take the next step and prove to the themselves and the world that this was not a fluke, but the beginning of a new era.

While the Redskins have many young stars, key role players such as Tyler Polumbus, Josh Wilson and Leonard Hankerson must continue to make the most of their opportunities on the field if the Redskins hope to repeat as NFC East champions. 

Adam Carriker, DeAngelo Hall and Roy Helu are all players with something to prove, and all players who are honorable mentions on our list due to mediocre performance or injury in 2012.  Strong performances like Hall's against Dez Bryant in the final week of the season, along with 2011 contributions, kept these players just outside this list.

Here is a list of five Redskins who must improve in 2013-14.

5. Ryan Kerrigan, Outside Linebacker

By most accounts, Ryan Kerrigan had a solid year at outside linebacker, racking up 8.5 sacks, 54 tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception, according to NFL.com.  Just looking at the numbers, however, does not tell the whole story.

Starting off his sophomore year, Kerrigan was a disruptive force in the backfield, with 3.5 sacks in his first four games.  By contrast, he had only two sacks in his last five games, with both coming against rookie Nick Foles of the Philadelphia Eagles.  

After Brian Orakpo went down in Week 2 against the St. Louis Rams, Kerrigan struggled against the additional attention offenses were paying him.  While being chipped by tight ends and running backs may be considered a sign of respect, Kerrigan needs to continue to prove he deserves it.

A former first-round pick, Kerrigan is entering his third year in the NFL, coming off his first Pro Bowl selection.  With defensive backs that were consistently torched last year, Kerrigan needs to take the next step in his career and provide more consistent pressure to keep opposing quarterbacks from having too much time to pick apart the Redskins secondary.

The good news is: he knows it.  Kerrigan stated in an interview with The Examiner's Josh Keim:

"

I definitely expected bigger things from myself and the team. We wanted to continue to advance ... Coming into the season I wanted to be consistent week in and week out and I wasn’t that for most of the season. That’s frustrating. Hopefully I can use that as fuel.

"

4. Leonard Hankerson, Wide Receiver

Leonard Hankerson's 68-yard touchdown reception Week 2 against the St. Louis Rams was a display of physical talent and ability that Redskins fans have been dying to see more of.  Finishing the season with 543 yards on 38 receptions and three touchdowns, Hankerson is still working to establish himself as a consistent wide receiver.

Wide receiver, for head coach Mike Shanahan, however, is a broad interpretation.  Wide receivers in the zone-rushing attack employed by the Shanahans are often put to the blocking test, sealing off the edge of the field for Alfred Morris or Robert Griffin III.  In this area, Hankerson excels.  

The Redskins in turn led the NFL in rushing with 169.3 rushing yards per game, according to NFL.com.

Hankerson needs to show that he can create consistent separation and catch the ball every time it's thrown his direction.  He ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the 2011 combine and has hands measuring in at 10.5" according to Fantasy Football Metrics.  He needs to use those gigantic mitts to go up and snatch the ball in the end zone.  

With Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan seeing a large share of field time, Hankerson has to make the most of every opportunity he gets next year before he becomes the next mid-round draft pick that doesn't work out for the Redskins.

3. Josh Wilson, Cornerback

Free agency had a different feel in 2013, with veteran cornerbacks like Nnamdi Asomugha and Antoine Winfield signing one-year contracts for as little as $1 million to $3 million a year.  Fellow starter DeAngelo Hall went into free agency and came back to the Redskins for a cap-friendly number of $1.25 million.  

With Josh Wilson carrying a cap hit of $5.3 million for the 2013 season, according to Spotrac, the pressure is on to prove his worth before hitting free agency in 2014.

The Redskins secondary was severely disappointing last season, giving up 281.9 passing yards per game during the regular season.  That's good enough for third-worst in the NFL, according to NFL.com.  While some of that can be attributed to an inconsistent pass rush, the secondary has to play better if it wishes to compete at the highest level in the age where 5,000-yard passing seasons are becoming commonplace.

It is very possible that Josh Wilson will be given a new contract before the start of the 2013 season.

A contract extension would serve the dual purpose of locking up what head coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen believe to be a starting-caliber cornerback for the near future while alleviating some of Wilson's $5.3 million cap hit.  Josh Wilson turns 28 this June and fits with the Redskins' current strategy of signing players going into their prime, instead of following the Vinny Cerrato playbook of overpaying old stars.

Josh Wilson was not the worst part of the Redskins' defensive struggles last year, but much like being the skinniest kid at fat camp, there's still work to be done.

2. Brian Orakpo, Outside Linebacker

Eleven, 8.5, 9.  Those are the sack numbers for Brian Orakpo for the 2009 through 2011 seasons, respectively, according to NFL.com.

Orakpo is entering his first contract year in his fifth season with the Redskins.  After a pectoral injury in Week 2 took him out of action for the rest of the season, Orakpo needs to take his game to a new level in 2013 and prove that he is the elite pass-rushing threat the Redskins drafted him to be.

After Orakpo went down, Rob Jackson stepped in and exceeded expectations by making impact plays week in and week out in critical games.  Jackson was rewarded this offseason with a one-year contract and an opportunity to force his way into the starting lineup.  If Orakpo wants to receive star-quality money, he has to outperform his competition.

Brian Orakpo is a physical specimen, showcasing a combination of speed, power and athleticism rarely found even at the NFL level.  In a division with elite pass-rushers such as DeMarcus Ware and Jason Pierre-Paul, Orakpo must show that he can dominate games in a similar fashion.

This coming year, more than any in Orakpo's past, will shape his future as an NFL player.  Will he develop into the pass-rushing terror the Redskins drafted him to be? Or, will he maintain his production as a solid starter averaging around 10 sacks a year?  The difference could mean millions of dollars.  

The Redskins front office has shown a penchant for prudence in recent years, and if Orakpo hopes to see those millions, he will first have prove that he is more than just a threat.  He must prove that he is a force to be reckoned with. 

1. Tyler Polumbus, Right Tackle

Right tackle is a position often overlooked when building an NFL team.  Quarterback, left tackle, pass-rushing linebackers and defensive ends: these are the positions valued highest by NFL front offices.

With this concept in mind, the Redskins have done everything within their ability to find a solution at right tackle this offseason while not breaking the bank.  It's Tyler Polumbus' job to show them they already have that solution.

Since the end of the 2012 season, the Redskins have signed Jeremy Trueblood and Tony Pashos to compete with Tyler Polumbus for the starting right tackle job.  Mike Shanahan preaches competition. In some cases, though, competition equates to hoping that a quality player can emerge from several subpar pieces.  

We all remember how the "competition" at the quarterback position turned out in 2011, with Rex Grossman and John Beck combining for an underwhelming 5-11 season.

Fortunately for Polumbus, he has a head start on the competition.  Neither Trueblood nor Pashos is considered a starting-caliber player, and with a year of experience under his belt in the Shanahan zone-blocking scheme, Polmbus has the upper hand on retaining his starting position.  

The Redskins (because it can't be said too much) led the NFL in rushing in 2012, due largely to the success of their offensive line.  Their pass protection, especially on the right side, was their biggest issue on offense last year.  

Polumbus may not be the ideal solution at right tackle, but with an $18 million penalty from reworking contracts during the uncapped 2010 season, he might be the Redskins' best option.  He must perform well enough to stay on the field and protect the recovering knee of franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III.